PV manufacturer First Solar has partnered with NEXTracker for the supply of its new mounting technology for its latest Series 6 PV panel.
Image: NEXTracker NX Horizon and First Solar Series 6. Photo: Courtesy of NEXTracker Inc.
As part of the collaboration, First Solar will use NEXTracker’s mounting technology for more than 600MW of new projects in the US.
First Solar stated that it will be using NEXTracker’s patent-pending racking technology, NX Horizon for multiple utility-scale projects in the southwestern United States, totaling more than 634MW, including Rosamond, California (193 MW), Willow, California (129 MW) and Phoebe, Texas (312 MW).
NEXTracker founder and CEO Dan Shugar said: “With First Solar’s Series 6, they have created an elegant, superior thin film technology, with high efficiency and a beneficial temperature coefficient.
“The excellent diffuse light response of First Solar’s photovoltaic cells pairs perfectly with TrueCapture, NEXTracker’s proprietary smart control system to increase yields in PV power plants. We’re extremely pleased to be collaborating with First Solar on their latest system designs to offer attractive levelized cost of energy to global customers.”
NEXTracker’s mounting solution to be supplied to First Solar Series will include feature patent-pending panel clamps for error-proof rail alignment and rapid installation of modules.
NEXTracker says that its mounting solution can be configured to accommodate a wide range of site conditions including wind speeds up to 130 mph, up to a 15% north-south slope, and also high corrosion environments.
The company claims to have enhanced its NX Horizon for future First Solar Series 4 projects, with optimized logistics and cost saving features.
First Solar chief commercial officer Georges Antoun said: “For the past year we’ve invested in partnering with the right suppliers who could complement our Series 6 technology in terms of innovation in system performance.
“As part of our core ecosystem, NEXTracker is not only the global market share leader in solar tracking technology, but also delivers unparalleled design and customer service. We look forward to more successes together.”
In the past, the two companies have partnered for more than a gigawatt of projects with their NX Horizon and First Solar Series 4 modules.